sweet inspiration & fun baking ideas

Yes, I love little and I kinda like to play with my food… But I’m sure you know that about me by now.

And you probably know that I made more than just baby cookies.

They’re cute on their own, but I really needed them to put on display.

On these 3-tier sugar cookie dessert stands I made.

EEek! Cookies on cookies. Key-ute.

I love sugar cookies since they require a few basic ingredients that I almost always have on hand.

They can be baked in no time – especially with the recipe I’ve been using from my friend Bridget at Bake at 350. It’s been my go-to recipe lately. I love hers because nothing has to be set out to room temperature. And her dough doesn’t need to be chilled before rolling either. Equals Awesome! I hate waiting. So I love this recipe. When the dough comes together it will be crumbly, but don’t worry. Just grab it and knead it a bit and it’s ready to roll and cut. And it lifts beautifully, too.

Or if you want to see how I made my cookies stand, then keep on reading. These aren’t in Bridget’s book… I was just inspired by her cookie creations and love for decorating and wanted to share it with you since I love using her recipe.

Hope you like them Bridget! P.S. I need a piping boot camp. I don’t know how you do it.

Roll your cookie dough out nice and flat. I used these rubber dough bands to make sure the thickness was even when I rolled.

Then cut out circles in graduating sizes. I used 3 7/8, 3, 2 5/8 and 2 1/4 inch sizes.

Before you bake, use a plastic drinking straw to remove the centers of each cookie. The straw collects the dough in the center. Convenient.

Freeze the cut shapes for about 10 minutes to help the dough avoid spreading and then bake.

And when they come out of the oven, use the straw again to make sure the holes stay the same size.

Use the dough scraps and tiny cutters to cut out shapes for your desserts to go on display.

A piping tip like the one on the right will make circles with rounded tops since the tip is cone-shaped.

Makes great mini macarons or whoopie pies. Just tap the tip on the counter to release the dough.

Note: For the chocolate cookies, I swapped out 1/2 flour for 1/2 cup cocoa and used all vanilla extract in Bridget’s recipe.

After they are baked and cooled, and then comes the piping. This always goes smoother in my head than when I actually start piping.

Pipe first with outline icing and then fill with flood icing.

However for these I ended up using a royal icing consistency somewhere in between and piped and filled with the same consistency.

Ugh – wonky lines. Not what I’d hoped.

So after I filled and before the icing set completely, I piped dots all the way around. Camouflage it.

Much better.

Let cookies dry overnight. And after all the cookie decorating save leftover royal icing in an airtight container or in the piping bag with the ends tied off and cap closed for finishing up the project the next day.

Just mix some of the powder with a small amount of clear extract and you can paint right on the cookies.

Pretty.

Pretty dang cute!

And even cuter on display.

These were surprisingly easy to make stand up.

Start with using cookie sticks for the support. These are bigger than the lollipop sticks I usually use for cake pops (lower right).

The sticks should be about 6 inches tall for the stands. Buy the 6 inch sticks or cut down the 8 inch.

Use a cookie stick to gently twist through each cookie opening to make sure it goes through before building.

And make sure your cookie icing is completely dry and set from the day before.

Start with the smallest cookie shape. It should not be iced. Place on a flat surface and then insert the cookie stick. Slide the largest iced cookie on top. Having two cookies on the bottom will give you more support and keep the stick straight.

Cut striped straws into 1 1/2 inch sections. Slide one straw piece over the stick and push to the bottom as a spacer/ledge.

Slide second largest iced cookie on stick until it stops at the straw. Then slide another straw piece on top.

Slide last cookie on top until it stops at the straw. Then slide one more straw piece on the very top. Wrap a piece of washi tape around the straw and cut out a triangle for a cute flag topper.

Note: Not shown. Use the leftover royal icing to pipe in between the two bottom cookies and pipe dots around the centers of each tier to help secure the cookies in place as you build. Attach the desserts to the tiers with royal icing too. Then let dry and don’t move for a few hours. I skipped this step because I wanted to get right to taking pictures.

There you have it four cookies for 3-tier stands. Bridget’s recipe will make four stands with enough cookies to decorate.

And these can be totally scaled back? Two tiers? Just a cookie plate? Just the tiny cookies? Only one cookie shape? Choose how you want to play.

They’d be super fun and totally stand out for Valentine’s Day, for a dessert party or even party favors.

Enjoy!

_______________________

Now for the giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Bridget’s book, Decorating Cookies.

Just answer the following question and leave your response in the comments section on this blog post.

What did you do this weekend? Something fun I hope. I made a bunch of cookies : )

This weekend I spent Saturday down in Boston chaperoning an event called Project 351 – a day of community service and outreach performed by one student representative from each of Massachusetts’ 351 cities/towns. A pretty inspiring day! <3

I have been traveling a lot, so lots of cooking at home, relaxing, and baking!

January 28, 2013 10:41 AM

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Kim said...

Did a lot of painting. Wish I was baking!!!!!

January 28, 2013 10:41 AM

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Anna Maria said...

I took my son to skating lessons, gymnastics and swimming lessons. Went to the Monster Trucks show – that was fun! And I had time to make an apple pie = delish!

January 28, 2013 10:41 AM

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Ali J said...

Cleaned, caught up with family, took a nap, and went to church.

January 28, 2013 10:41 AM

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Ariel said...

This past weekend I did nothing. I bummed around the house all day Sunday and watched season 4 of “How I Met Your Mother”. It was wonderful.

January 28, 2013 10:42 AM

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NebraskaNancy said...

I went to 4 high school basketball games and sorted through a laundry basket full of paper work.

January 28, 2013 10:43 AM

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Kari said...

1. Where do you come up with this stuff?! Cookies on cookies = brilliant.
2. I am sorry to say that I was sick most of the weekend. But I was well enough Sunday to teach the kiddos at church and have a late movie night with my son who wouldn’t go to bed.
3. Thank you.

January 28, 2013 10:43 AM

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Robin C. said...

I spent the weekend going through a 1958 recipe card box that a friend passed on to me after his Mom recently passed, what a treasure!

January 28, 2013 10:44 AM

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Emily said...

I was very lazy this weekend, but the husband and I did make some Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe was on the back of a giant bag of Hershey choclate chips. They came out realllllly yummy :)

I moved this weekend and the first thing I did was go to the library and check out a book called “300 under 300″ http://www.hungry-girl.com/books/6. It’s awesome and has tonstonstons of recipes, hence the name 300!

January 28, 2013 10:46 AM

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Christina said...

I finally got to have a little reunion with my college roommates, and celebrate my birthday with them! It was an awesome weekend.

Those stands are darling! This weekend I made cookies to send to my college girls!

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Tara said...

I worked on homework most of the weekend, but I did try making a new recipe for dinner Saturday, super yummy!

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Bernadette said...

These are so cute! I went to a baby shower this weekend.

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Brooke Everett Cook said...

Had fun with my babies, went to a Sunday School party and made a corn casserole.

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Moppetmama said...

I am just so amazed at how brilliant these are! Absolutely love them!

To answer the question, This weekend I went to a birthday party held for all three of my nephews…turning 1, 3, and 11! :)

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Jess said...

Went to beach with a few of my friends for Australia day and just baked macarons :)

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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Lola H said...

On Saturday we did some visiting with my husband’s brother and his wife. And on Sunday we did chores around the house and played outside in the snow. A sort of quiet weekend with not too much traveling. :)

January 28, 2013 10:47 AM

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b4im2old said...

OMG these are the cutest itty bitty cookies I’ve ever seen! Got to spend a bit of time with my 6 year old grandson which it’s always a treat! I’d love to win the cookie book for one of my two adult daughters who is very creative in the baking/cake decorating realm…she would love it! Thanks for the chance to win!

This weekend I went to church. Then I made pretzels and blogged about how I made pretzels. All in all a pretty great weekend!

January 28, 2013 10:50 AM

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Paige said...

It was my daughter’s 11th birthday on Sat so we had a party with friends on Sat and a party with family on Sun. I spent all week baking…40+ cupcakes for school and home, penguin fondant toppers, homemade marshmallows on sticks, sprinkle barl, cookie favors, and 2, 3-layer cakes!!! Lots of fun!

I celebrated 33 years of marriage to the man of my dreams! Saturday was a day of reflecting back to our wedding, looking at the clock and thinking at this moment I was having my hair done, at this moment we were at our reception. Crazy I was feeling the whole day again! I can’t believe how incredibly blessed I feel for having found my husband 35 years ago in College. I simply cannot imagine my life with out him and I hope I never experience that! Thanks for sharing this post with us! I am going to have to find those dough bans!

January 28, 2013 10:53 AM

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Luisa Rivera said...

What did you do this weekend? Yes, I baked some peanut butter chocolate chip cookies and some fudge brownies with sixlets topping!! Oh yeah!!

January 28, 2013 10:53 AM

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Darleen said...

Wow! When I think you couldn’t make anything cuter, these are adorable!! This weekend, I didn’t do anything as crazy-fun like you but I did some sewing. I made a light pink satin cover for the chain of a chandelier that will hang in my new twin grand daughters bedroom.
Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!

January 28, 2013 10:53 AM

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Jack said...

I went camping, and then got home and whipped up a batch of Mexican vanilla chocolate chip cookies with vanilla my grandma got on a cruise to cozumel. They were delicious!

January 28, 2013 10:53 AM

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Mónica from México said...

Love this!!! I love to bake and cook and would love to make this with my daughter… next saturday for sure!
I spend this weekend working in my long time set aside quilting proyect (I also love sewing for fun!). We also baked a chocolate cake, yum…

January 28, 2013 10:53 AM

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Laura said...

I also made a bunch of cookies – tried a new recipe – chocolate chip cookies stuffed with Rolo candy – yum!!!

I also got a ton of project done in my house – very productive.

January 28, 2013 10:54 AM

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Mango said...

I watched Mama!
This cookie cake is too cuteeeeeee

January 28, 2013 10:55 AM

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Marikate said...

I had 2 birthdays parties to go to. One for my niece and the other for my mom. Love the cookies :)

I had a busy, busy, busy weekend. I worked on a Gala for the local high school all day on Saturday and then Sunday went to the World Chocolate Expo in the morning, then headed down the city to see Newsies! Phew.

Your cuteness factor to every design you do always amazes me. {sigh}. Also, putting a dotted border around the edge of a slightly wonky cookie is really the best fix. I use it on almost every cookie.

January 28, 2013 10:56 AM

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Shelley F said...

This weekend, my hubby built me a craft room in our new home! A new work table, bookcases to the ceiling, etc. I’m so excited. And looking forward to getting a lot of work done in there.

January 28, 2013 10:56 AM

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Betsy said...

I relaxed! After weeks of everyone in our family fighting the flu bug, it was nice to just kick back and enjoy some non-sick family time.

Key-ute is right! Those are delightful! I spent the weekend celebrating my niece’s bday plus doing some crocheting. Fun weekend indeed. Sad it is over!

January 28, 2013 10:56 AM

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Joycieboycie said...

I shared a delicious meal with good friends, and spent some time with my niece!

January 28, 2013 10:58 AM

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Janet from Cumming, GA said...

I love the ‘Japanesque’ nature of your miniature (edible) ‘display food’ – as has been said already… adorable!

This weekend I baked a mini panda bear cake for a co-worker’s birthday. He’s someone I didn’t ‘get’ when I first worked with him – but now I think I do.

January 28, 2013 10:59 AM

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Debbie said...

My 17 year old daughter will love the tiny cookies! Sooo cute!
Shopped for Senior Ball gown with my girl (still searching!!) and watched lots and lots of sports with the family. It was a great two days!!

You always seem to out-cute yourself! Love those stands!!! I spent this weekend at my Grandparent’s Sundance cabin with family. Getting our last visit in before they head home to New York. It’s always a blast!

We bought a baby swing for our 5 week old baby then my husband and I just spent the weekend enjoying our first baby….Fatima. I cant wait for her to grow up so we can bake together!

January 28, 2013 11:04 AM

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Erina said...

Great!!! Super!!! Cookies!!!
Last weekend I Cleaned THE house ;( next weekend ….. I intend to bake cookies!!!!

January 28, 2013 11:05 AM

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estefania said...

I lovee cookies!
I spend the whole weekend with my niece and nephew just relaxing inside and watching some movies

January 28, 2013 11:05 AM

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Candice Dudley said...

Took our 9 month to Train Town for the first time! Fuh-un!!!
Would love to win the book!

January 28, 2013 11:05 AM

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Sarah said...

This weekend was full of visiting friends and then having a lazy Sunday doing nothing. It was perfect!

January 28, 2013 11:06 AM

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Lisa Riecke said...

So cute!! I wish I had an ounce of your creativity!!
This weekend started sitting in the Dr. office with my 17 year old getting her tested for the flu…and she was positive for Influenza A. My son was home from college, so we hung out with him a lot. Sunday we went to Costco to load up on supplies for the college boy to take back. I spent Sunday night watching Breaking Bad on Netflix and the SAG awards.
Pretty boring!!

This weekend I took two of my grandgirls and we got yogurt sundaes,came home learned a new crochet stitch and made Frozen Hot Chocolate for a late night snack for me and my hubby! Yum! It was a sugary day but had lots of fun.

It snowed a lot where i live so i didn’t have school for five days. Whooo! I made white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and a bunch of friendship bracelets :)

January 28, 2013 11:16 AM

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Anita said...

I went wedding registry shopping!

January 28, 2013 11:17 AM

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Mary said...

It was cold and snowy, so it was the perfect time to work on my knitting (a cozy lap blanket) :-)

January 28, 2013 11:17 AM

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Jan Ette Oakley said...

My husband and I took my four-year old daughter, Caroline, and my two-year old son, Zane, to see the bucking bulls at the PBR on Saturday. It was their first time to go to a rodeo and it was so fun to see their reaction to it all. Caroline loved the clowns AFTER she realized that we weren’t there for her to ride the bucking bulls, and then Zane loved it all. After each bull was done bucking, he was like, “Nuther One!” They both wore their cowboy/cowgirl boots and hats too. It was so much fun!

I love your cookies! I went to my Grandma’s for Sunday dinner. She is 90 years old and still cooks every Sunday.

January 28, 2013 11:20 AM

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Marty said...

Soccer stepmom this weekend! Made some soccer ball cookies and cake pops for the team????

January 28, 2013 11:22 AM

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Keri Henderson said...

This looks amazing!! So much fun!

I was working this weekend :( Boo!
But after work on Sunday I went to a drama and movement workshop with my amateur musical company which was lots of fun! I found the dancing rather difficult after a hard days work, but it’s always fun to try new things :D xx